Carib Scope

分类： politics

  • US Supreme Court weighs ending protected status of Haitians, Syrians

    US Supreme Court weighs ending protected status of Haitians, Syrians

    On Wednesday, the deeply divided U.S. Supreme Court convened to hear legal challenges to the Trump administration’s 2019 order to revoke Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, for hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian migrants currently residing in the United States. The high-stakes case has far-reaching ramifications for more than one million TPS beneficiaries from a dozen additional nations who now face the threat of mass deportation.

    Created as a humanitarian protection program, TPS shields eligible migrants from deportation and grants them work authorization, granted exclusively to people who cannot safely return to their home countries due to active armed conflict, natural disaster, or other extraordinary, life-threatening crises. Haitian nationals first gained TPS eligibility in 2010, after a magnitude 7 earthquake killed more than 200,000 people and leveled much of the country’s critical infrastructure. More than a decade later, the Caribbean nation remains mired in systemic extreme poverty, widespread gang-related violence and kidnapping, chronic political collapse, and a shattered healthcare system that prompted the U.S. State Department to issue a Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory for all American citizens. Syria obtained TPS in 2012 at the outbreak of its ongoing devastating civil war, which has left the country fragmented and unsafe for returning civilians.

    As part of his broader hardline immigration agenda, former President Donald Trump made a 2016 campaign pledge to remove millions of undocumented migrants from the U.S., and made dismantling the longstanding TPS program a central policy priority. Since taking office, his administration revoked TPS protections for migrants from 12 countries beyond Haiti and Syria, including Afghanistan, Myanmar, Somalia, Venezuela, and Yemen.

    During Wednesday’s arguments, Solicitor General John Sauer, representing the Trump administration, told the court that the Department of Homeland Security’s TPS termination decision falls under executive authority and is not eligible for judicial review. Sauer argued that barring courts from reviewing such policy choices prevents inappropriate “judicial micromanagement” of executive-led foreign policy, and added that Trump’s past controversial remarks about Haiti were being taken out of context. He claimed the president’s comments, in which he referred to Haiti and other African nations as “shithole countries” and expressed a preference for migrants from Norway over Haiti, were referencing “problems of crime, poverty and welfare dependency” rather than expressing racial bias.

    Counsel for the Haitian and Syrian TPS holders pushed back forcefully against the administration’s arguments, arguing that unsafe conditions in both home countries remain unchanged, and that the TPS cancellation was driven at least partially by explicit racial animus. Ahilan Arulanantham, an attorney for the Syrian TPS petitioners, emphasized that the case centers on “the power to mass expel people who have done nothing wrong to countries that remain unsafe.” Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor echoed this concern during questioning, directly referencing Trump’s reported comments about Haiti to question whether discriminatory intent motivated the policy.

    Early indications from the court’s ideological split suggest the six-member conservative majority leans toward siding with the Trump administration’s position, while the court’s three liberal justices appear ready to oppose the move. A final ruling from the court will set a binding precedent that shapes the future of TPS for all beneficiaries across the country.

  • Pintard calls for arrests over $200k gift certificates

    Pintard calls for arrests over $200k gift certificates

    A brewing political scandal in the Bahamas has put the ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) administration under intense scrutiny, after opposition Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard launched a scathing accusation that the Davis government broke national law by diverting public funds to distribute Hurricane Dorian relief gift certificates branded with PLP election candidates’ names. Pintard has labeled the action “egregious” and is calling for formal criminal charges to be filed against those responsible.

    The controversy stems from an earlier Tribune report that confirmed the Ministry of Finance covered the cost of gift certificates distributed to residents of Abaco, designated as post-Hurricane Dorian disaster relief, which bore the signatures of sitting PLP candidates and party officials. Chris Lleida, chief executive officer of Premier Importers – the entity that issued the vouchers – confirmed the distribution was carried out at the explicit request of the Ministry of Finance. Records show the total value of the distributed vouchers exceeds $200,000, with individual certificates issued in denominations of $200, $300 and $500.

    As of press time, Office of the Prime Minister representatives have not issued an official public response to the allegations. When contacted for comment, Communications Director Latrae Rahming confirmed that Prime Minister Philip Davis will address the matter with reporters at a future, unspecified date.

    Pintard argued that the misuse of taxpayer funds for this purpose constitutes a clear criminal offence under Bahamian law. “It is a crime because you’re using government funds for a narrow political perspective,” he stated, adding that “somebody to pay the price” for the violation. He drew a direct parallel between the current controversy and the so-called “Bermuda scandal”, a previous incident where a PLP delegation trip was initially funded through the Public Treasury before the party reimbursed the cost.

    The opposition leader further claimed that the scale of the $200,000 expenditure far exceeds the spending authority granted to the financial secretary, meaning the final approval for the spending would have required sign-off from Prime Minister Davis himself. He added that the situation becomes “even more egregious” with the involvement of Bradley Fox Jr, the PLP’s candidate for Central and South Abaco, who participated in distributing the vouchers despite holding no official government position.

    Voucher copies obtained by The Tribune show the e-vouchers distributed to local residents were signed by both Fox and Preston Roberts, the PLP’s national campaign coordinator who also serves as a board member of the government’s Disaster Reconstruction Authority. “You’re talking about somebody who has no standing in government at all and so on multiple levels, this is wrong,” Pintard said. “Somebody should be held to account, and charges should be brought against them or the sanctions, whatever the sanctions are, as outlined in the law, those sanctions should be carried out.”

    Under the Bahamas’ Parliamentary Elections Act, offering or distributing money, gifts or other benefits to voters to influence their ballot choice, reward specific voting behavior, or secure a candidate’s election is classified as a criminal offence. The law also penalizes anyone who funds or knowingly facilitates these activities, including the provision of funds intended for electoral bribery.

    Critics point out that the incident highlights a longstanding gap in Bahamian election regulation: the country still lacks a comprehensive, enforceable campaign finance framework. There are no binding, clear rules requiring full public disclosure of political campaign spending, nor formal regulations governing the use of public resources during election cycles. Both of the Bahamas’ major political parties have repeatedly pledged to implement a robust campaign finance system over the years, but none have followed through on that promise to date.

  • WATCH: Farmers central to recovery and future of high-tech agriculture, says Green

    WATCH: Farmers central to recovery and future of high-tech agriculture, says Green

    KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a keynote address at the recent Recovery and Investment Forum held at Hope Gardens, hosted jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Minister Floyd Green has positioned Jamaican farmers as the backbone of the island nation’s post-disaster recovery and long-term food sovereignty, calling them the most foundational contributors to Jamaican society while laying out a bold vision for a modernized, technology-integrated agricultural sector.

    Green emphasized that the ongoing Hurricane Melissa Recovery Programme, a $1.98 billion initiative launched after the destructive Category 5 storm, is far more than a short-term relief effort: it is a strategic investment to construct a more climate-resilient, efficient industry that can protect Jamaica from future food supply disruptions. “This is a month dedicated to honoring our farmers,” Green told the assembled crowd of producers, agricultural input suppliers, and financial industry leaders. “Any time you sit down to a meal, you owe a farmer a word of gratitude. No matter how advanced or prosperous an economy becomes, food production will always be non-negotiable for national survival.”

    He recalled that the global COVID-19 pandemic served as a critical wake-up call for Jamaica, when widespread border closures sparked urgent fears over food access, cementing the importance of a strong, self-reliant local agricultural sector for the country. At the core of the government’s recovery strategy is RADA, which Green identified as the central engine driving support for impacted farming communities across the island. He praised the forum as a critical collaborative space that connects key stakeholders to align on both immediate recovery needs and long-term investment opportunities.

    To date, the massive recovery program has already delivered tangible results for more than 19,800 of the over 70,000 farmers impacted by Hurricane Melissa, with approximately $221 million already disbursed to restore agricultural productivity across the island. Green outlined early milestones in crop recovery: more than 14,000 packs of high-quality seeds have been distributed, enabling the rehabilitation of 840 hectares of damaged farmland. This early intervention has already driven a measurable rebound in domestic vegetable supplies, with Green noting that consumers are no longer facing widespread shortages in local markets. “People aren’t complaining about what they can’t find anymore — there’s abundant supply, whether you’re looking for cabbage or lettuce,” Green said, framing this rebound as the successful completion of the program’s first recovery phase.

    Beyond immediate relief, the forum highlighted the Jamaican government’s push to modernize the country’s agricultural sector through technology. Attendees got a first-hand look at cutting-edge tools being rolled out for domestic producers, including agricultural sprayer drones, data-collection drones for crop monitoring, and mechanized equipment such as tiller tractors and soil augers. Rollout of these technologies is supported through public-private partnerships with sector suppliers, with the core goal of boosting production efficiency and helping Jamaican agricultural goods become more competitive in global export markets.

    Financial resilience was another central focus of the event. Around 200 farmers from multiple Jamaican parishes met with representatives from leading national financial institutions, receiving one-on-one guidance on agricultural insurance products and climate risk management strategies designed to help producers better absorb the impact of future extreme weather events, which are growing more frequent amid global climate change.

    Additional progress shared at the forum included livestock recovery efforts, which have delivered 100,000 baby chicks and more than 16,000 bags of livestock feed to affected producers. The program has also supported land preparation across more than 500 additional hectares for 1,300 smallholder farmers.

    The event closed with a symbolic handover of new mechanized equipment to farmer representatives, alongside an interactive exhibition that provided producers with hands-on technical training in climate-smart agricultural practices. These efforts reinforce the Ministry of Agriculture’s overarching goal of building a high-yield, high-impact agricultural sector that delivers long-term food security and economic opportunity for all Jamaican farming communities.

  • LETTER: The UPP is Losing. Here’s How You Know.

    LETTER: The UPP is Losing. Here’s How You Know.

    As the general election campaign in Antigua & Barbuda enters its final stretch, a sharp critique has emerged targeting the main opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) over its strategic choice to host its closing campaign rally in the constituency of All Saints East & St Luke. Critics of the opposition argue that this decision reveals quiet anxiety about the UPP’s electoral prospects, pointing to a basic rule of campaign tactics that does not align with the party’s claims of being on track for an election win.

    For an opposition party seeking to unseat a sitting government, the core electoral math is straightforward: incumbents hold the advantage of governing power, so challengers must defend every seat they currently hold while actively targeting competitive constituencies held by the ruling Antigua & Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP). If the UPP truly was positioned for a national victory, strategists would have already secured their long-held safest seat, All Saints East & St Luke, and shifted the closing rally to a marginal ABLP-held constituency to maximize momentum and swing undecided voters, the critique argues. Holding the finale in the UPP’s strongest historically safe seat, rather than playing offense to gain new ground, is framed as a clear defensive move that signals the opposition expects poor results on election day.

    This reasoning has prompted a direct question to voters across Antigua & Barbuda, from All Saints East & St Luke to St Philip South, St. Mary’s South and every other constituency nationwide. If the UPP is already showing clear signs of heading toward defeat, critics ask, why would constituents cast their ballots for a UPP candidate? Voters are reminded that a member of parliament sitting in opposition for the next five years will be limited in their ability to deliver tangible infrastructure, social services and development projects for their district, reduced only to constant criticism rather than tangible action. Instead, the argument pushes voters to back a candidate that will sit in the governing majority, who can be held directly accountable for delivering on campaign promises and advancing local needs.

    As voters prepare to cast their ballots in the upcoming election, the debate over the UPP’s rally location has become a talking point that frames the opposition’s entire campaign as on the back foot, with critics urging voters to avoid aligning with what they frame as a guaranteed losing team.

  • Antigua and Barbuda Government Plans Thousands More Affordable Homes in Housing Programme Expansion

    Antigua and Barbuda Government Plans Thousands More Affordable Homes in Housing Programme Expansion

    Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced a major expansion of the country’s flagship national housing initiative, revealing plans to add as many as 3,000 new residential units over the administration’s upcoming term. The commitment builds on the progress the current government has already delivered through a layered strategy of direct state construction and targeted financial subsidy programmes, which have collectively supported the creation of more than 4,000 homes to date. Breaking down the existing delivery, Browne explained that the state-run National Housing development body has completed more than 1,500 units on its own. When combined with developments delivered through the CHAPA housing scheme, the government’s direct construction output surpasses 2,000 completed homes. Adding in residential projects that received financial support through the CABI subsidy programme pushes the total number of homes built or assisted by the current administration over the 4,000 mark, according to the prime minister. Browne framed the ongoing housing drive as a core pillar of the government’s wider policy agenda, which centers on expanding rates of home ownership across all demographic groups and lifting national living standards. For the next phase of the programme, the administration is set to scale up construction activity dramatically, with a target range of between 2,000 and 3,000 additional new homes. “We expect to do at least maybe 2,000, 3,000 homes,” Browne confirmed. To keep the expanded construction pipeline moving quickly and meet ambitious output targets, Browne confirmed the government will bring in additional construction workers from the Dominican Republic to boost workforce capacity and shorten project timelines. Beyond simply easing current housing supply shortages, the prime minister emphasized that expanding accessible home ownership is a strategic investment in the country’s long-term economic stability. The core mission of the initiative, he added, remains rooted in advancing public well-being. “At the end of the day, it’s about improving the living standards of the people,” Browne said.

  • API says referring Gonsalves as PM a ‘genuine error with malicious intent’

    API says referring Gonsalves as PM a ‘genuine error with malicious intent’

    Five months after a historic general election shifted power in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the country’s official government communications agency is facing growing public and political scrutiny over an embarrassing mislabeling mistake in a public press invitation.

    The error dates back to April 28, 2026, when the Agency for Public Information (API), the body mandated with disseminating accurate official information on behalf of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines government, distributed an unsigned media alert at 9 a.m. local time. The invitation incorrectly stated that the upcoming press conference would be hosted by Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, identifying him as the incumbent prime minister. Gonsalves, who led the Unity Labour Party (ULP) and held the prime minister’s office for 24 years starting in 2001, was removed from office following the November 27, 2025 general election, where Godwin Friday’s New Democratic Party (NDP) secured a landslide 14-1 majority over the incumbent ULP. Gonsalves was the sole ULP candidate to win his parliamentary seat, and now serves as leader of the parliamentary opposition.

    Just 29 minutes after the first incorrect email was sent, acting API director Nadia Slater issued a second communication, signed with her initials, requesting that media outlets ignore the original invite. Slater corrected the host of the press conference to incumbent Prime Minister Dr. Hon. Godwin Friday, and issued an initial apology for the mistake. However, this correction contained a second, even more controversial error: the apology stated the mix-up was “a genuine error with malicious intent.”

    Only three minutes after the second email was distributed, Slater issued a third correction, which attached the correct official press invitation and retracted the typo-ridden wording from the previous apology. In the final correction, Slater clarified that the original mislabeling was “a genuine error WITHOUT malicious intent.”

    The blunder has drawn unwanted attention to the API, which is tasked with upholding the accuracy of government communications, just months after the new administration took office. The timing of the mistake, coming five full months after the transfer of power, has sparked questions about how the agency could mistakenly misidentify the sitting prime minister, even as Slater has repeatedly stated that the incident was nothing more than an accidental typing error.

  • Bowen says a UPP government would investigate corruption

    Bowen says a UPP government would investigate corruption

    In a recent statement that has shifted the landscape of domestic political discourse, a senior leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Bowen, has made a bold campaign pledge that would reshape the government’s accountability framework if his party secures power in the upcoming election. Speaking to a gathering of party supporters and political journalists, Bowen outlined that a UPP-led administration would immediately launch a full-scale, independent investigation into allegations of systemic corruption that have lingered over the incumbent government for months. This commitment comes amid growing public frustration over unaddressed claims of misappropriation of public funds, opaque procurement deals, and unethical influence peddling that have eroded voter trust in the current ruling establishment. Bowen emphasized that the investigation would not be a partisan witch hunt, but a transparent process led by independent legal and auditing experts, designed to uncover the full truth, hold wrongdoers accountable regardless of their political standing, and rebuild public confidence in democratic institutions. The pledge has already galvanized UPP’s base, positioning anti-corruption as the central pillar of the party’s election platform heading into the polls.

  • PM urges Barbadians to ‘be a hero to somebody’ in Heroes Day message

    PM urges Barbadians to ‘be a hero to somebody’ in Heroes Day message

    Barbados came together on April 28 to observe its annual National Heroes Day, a occasion dedicated to honoring the iconic figures who shaped the nation’s trajectory, with Prime Minister Mia Mottley delivering a stirring address that redefined heroism for modern citizens. In her message delivered to both domestic residents and the sprawling Bajan diaspora across the globe, Mottley rejected the common misconception that courage and heroism are reserved only for celebrated public figures, pushing instead for a vision of heroism rooted in daily action and service to others. The commemoration carries a special significance this year, as it marks the birthday of The Right Excellent Sir Grantley Herbert Adams, Barbados’ first Premier, a founding father of both the nation and the Barbados Labour Party. For current public servants, Mottley emphasized that Adams’ enduring legacy serves as a constant reminder that politics’ core purpose must be lifting up marginalized communities, upholding human dignity, expanding access to opportunity, and ensuring every Barbadian sees a place for themselves in the country’s future. Mottley opened her address by extending warm wishes to all Barbadians, at home and abroad, urging the nation to reflect on the sacrifices of the heroes who fought to build the independent, resilient country Barbados is today. During the ceremony, the Prime Minister paid special tribute to the nation’s two living National Heroes, highlighting their unique contributions to elevating Barbados’ global profile. The first, The Right Excellent Sir Garfield Sobers, showcased to the world that Barbadian talent combines grace, discipline, and unmatched skill that sets a global benchmark. The second, Her Excellency The Right Excellent Robyn Rihanna Fenty, has become a beacon for young generations across the island and the globe, proving that creativity, boldness, relentless hard work, and unwavering patriotism can carry a Bajan voice to every corner of the world. Drawing on the examples set by both historical and living national heroes, Mottley reiterated her core thesis: heroism is not measured by fame, formal ceremonies, or public applause. Instead, it lives in the values that guide daily life, the quiet examples people set for others, the burdens that individuals choose to carry on behalf of neighbors and community members, and the hope that is instilled in people who will never have the chance to repay that kindness. Against this backdrop, Mottley issued a straightforward but profound challenge to all Barbadians in 2026: step forward and be a hero to someone. She broke down what that everyday heroism looks like across age groups and communities. For a child, that means being a person they can look up to, modeling how to speak with integrity, work diligently, treat others with respect, and bounce back from failure. For a young person navigating an uncertain world, everyday heroism means proving that decency remains a strength, honesty still matters, discipline still yields meaningful rewards, and kindness is never a sign of weakness. For an elderly neighbor, heroism can be as simple as a phone call, an in-person visit, a warm meal, a helping hand, or just the quiet comfort of knowing they have not been abandoned or forgotten by their community. Mottley framed the concept of a hero simply: a hero is anyone who acts as a positive role model for at least one other person. It is a person whose core values, consistent virtues, and intentional choices give others a blueprint for how to live well. A hero inspires those around them to stand taller, work harder, live more purposefully, dream bigger, and deepen their love for their home country of Barbados. Echoing the words of the Barbadian National Anthem, which calls on citizens to be “Firm craftsmen of our fate,” Mottley noted that this is not just a lyric to be sung on ceremonial occasions—it is a binding duty that all citizens must live out every day. She closed her address by urging every Barbadian to commit to one small act of service: lift up one person whose life can be strengthened, encourage one young person who needs support, right one wrong that has been overlooked, and complete one act of service that leaves their home, school, workplace, house of worship, or community better than they found it. The national heroes honored today built the foundation of the modern Barbados that current citizens enjoy. Mottley left the nation with a closing question: what kind of Barbados will today’s citizens leave for the generations that come after them? Closing out the address, the Prime Minister wished all Barbados a happy National Heroes Day, repeating her core call to action: “Let each of us be a hero to someone.” (Issued by the Prime Minister’s Office)

  • Pierre: 1,000-dollar grant was ‘never meant to be enough’

    Pierre: 1,000-dollar grant was ‘never meant to be enough’

    St. Lucian Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre has pushed back against widespread public and social media criticism of a new family-focused policy unveiled during his recent annual Budget address, pushing to correct misinformation that has overshadowed the full scope of the government’s planned support package.

    During the three-hour Budget policy speech last week, Pierre announced a core policy measure: a one-time EC$1,000 grant that will be disbursed to eligible first-time mothers with registered newborn children, set to take effect on August 1, 2026. In the days following the address, the single grant announcement dominated public discourse, drawing critical commentary on social media and in local community discussions that framed the policy as a misguided attempt to incentivize higher birth rates.

    Speaking at a pre-Cabinet press briefing held on Monday, Pierre addressed the swirling controversy head-on, noting that critics had fixated on the grant while entirely overlooking a suite of complementary, far-reaching family support policies included in the Budget plan. “It’s one of the policy proposals for mothers of registered newborn babies who will receive a one-time grant of one thousand dollars… but there are some below it that everybody seems not to have seen,” he told reporters.

    Beyond the one-time grant, the Prime Minister outlined, the government’s full plan begins with a comprehensive review of national parental leave regulations following childbirth, designed to update existing provisions to better meet the needs of modern families. That policy overhual will be followed by a review of the island’s Affiliation Maintenance Act, alongside an expansion of the national school feeding programme that will deliver enhanced nutritional support to students across the country. Pierre argued that these context-setting measures had been erased from public conversation, replaced by superficial, politically motivated criticism.

    The Prime Minister also pushed back against claims that the grant program is intended to encourage higher birth rates to address the island’s well-documented low fertility rate and stagnating population growth. He emphasized that while population growth is a widely acknowledged concern for the small island nation, the government is seeking a thoughtful, responsible public conversation about the issue rather than pushing hasty, poorly targeted policies.

    “Whether we like it or not, there are concerns about population growth in this island, that’s a fact and what we ask for is a mature conversation by the country, a responsible discussion,” Pierre said. He dismissed claims that the grant amounts to a government payout to incentivize having children as political mischief, stressing that the policy’s core purpose is far more targeted.

    “People like to make political mischief when they talk about the government will give you a thousand dollars to make children, that is really not true, it was never true, and the buildup to it shows that it is not true,” he added.

    The Prime Minister clarified that the EC$1,000 grant is only intended to cover the initial costs associated with welcoming a new child, a burden that disproportionately impacts low-income and unemployed first-time mothers. Raising a child carries significant financial costs from birth, he noted, and the grant is a limited initial support measure — not a comprehensive solution, nor a reward for having children.

    “Babies are expensive, so the thousand-dollar grant is just an incentive to help people with their initial expenses; it is not a reward, nor is it a payment, nor is it something we give you, because the government wants you to make children. It is far from enough, it was never meant to be enough, nor was it meant to be any situation where the government is giving you an incentive to make babies, what it is, it is support for mothers, especially low-income or unemployed mothers,” Pierre explained.

    To round out the government’s broader family policy push, Pierre added that the grant will be paired with two additional support measures: expanded government assistance for parents with children enrolled in early childhood education facilities, and new financial incentives for private sector businesses that offer on-site or subsidized child care facilities for their employees.

  • Guyana minister raps CARICOM nations for accommodating Venezuela’s President with Essequibo brooch

    Guyana minister raps CARICOM nations for accommodating Venezuela’s President with Essequibo brooch

    A simmering territorial dispute between Guyana and Venezuela has erupted into a full-blown diplomatic controversy across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), after Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez appeared in official meetings with multiple Caribbean leaders wearing a brooch that displays Venezuela’s map claiming Guyana’s resource-rich Essequibo Region as Venezuelan territory. The incident has sparked sharp criticism from a senior Guyanese official, internal political pushback within Guyana, and calls for regional accountability just weeks before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) hears formal arguments on the decades-long dispute.

    In a blunt, public statement shared via Facebook late Monday, Guyana’s Minister of Local Government Priya Manickchand slammed CARICOM leaders who hosted Rodriguez and allowed the provocative display to go unchallenged during official engagements. Just hours before Manickchand’s post, Rodriguez had appeared alongside Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley at official events in Bridgetown while wearing the map brooch, which explicitly lays claim to the 159,000-square-kilometer Essequibo Region that makes up roughly two-thirds of Guyana’s total territory. This was not an isolated incident: earlier in April 2026, Rodriguez wore an identical brooch during meetings with Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell.

    Manickchand questioned the integrity of alliances between Guyana and other CARICOM members, noting that the territorial dispute is currently under active adjudication at the ICJ. “CARICOM leaders claiming to be our friends and benefitting from that friendship even as they entertain their other friends who are completely disrespecting Guyana by openly claiming two-thirds of my country and sporting that claim on a visible piece of jewellery has me questioning our friendships and the principles of these CARICOM leaders,” she wrote. The long-serving cabinet minister emphasized that commitments to sovereignty and territorial integrity should not be set aside for political convenience, adding “Principle is principle. It shouldn’t be cowardly. And it shouldn’t be convenient.”

    The criticism quickly sparked a domestic political backlash within Guyana. Beverly Alert, an executive member of the opposition Alliance For Change (AFC) and a former parliamentarian, hit back at Manickchand, accusing the Guyanese government of applying a double standard to questions of principle. Alert argued that the government itself abandoned principle when it terminated the country’s Cuban Medical Brigade programme, a move that came after the United States threatened to revoke visas for Guyanese officials and their immediate families over unsubstantiated claims that Cuban medical workers were exploited by the Cuban government. “Principle is principle and should have applied when the decision was made to send home Cuban doctors. Cuba has been a long time and staunch friend to Guyana,” Alert noted. Guyana was one of several CARICOM nations that ended the popular medical programme under U.S. pressure.

    To date, the Guyanese government has not released an official public statement on the controversy, which has been labeled “brooch gate” by regional political commentators. However, key private sector groups with close ties to the Guyanese administration have publicly condemned Rodriguez’s action and called for regional pushback. The Private Sector Commission (PSC), Guyana’s leading private sector umbrella organization, did not name Grenada in its statement but explicitly called on Barbados, CARICOM, and the broader international community to denounce the provocative move.

    “We call on the Government of Barbados, a valued CARICOM partner and long-standing friend of Guyana to stand firmly in defence of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Further, we call on CARICOM and all regional and international partners to remain vigilant and unequivocal in their support for the rule of law. Silence or inaction in the face of such deliberate provocation risks emboldening further escalation,” the PSC said.

    The controversy comes at a critical juncture for the territorial dispute. Next month, the ICJ will hold multiple days of public hearings where both Guyana and Venezuela will present the full merits of their arguments over the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award, which originally granted Essequibo to Guyana. The ICJ is expected to issue a final ruling on the case, which was brought to the court by Guyana, in the first quarter of 2027.

    While CARICOM as a bloc has repeatedly formally affirmed Guyana’s sovereignty over the Essequibo Region, many small CARICOM island states have maintained close bilateral ties with successive Venezuelan governments led by Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro. These relations have been supported by decades of concessionary oil pricing and other forms of economic assistance from Caracas, creating a split in regional commitments that has been laid bare by the brooch controversy.